1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to storage systems for computer networks, and more specifically, relates to software architectures for providing block level access to storage resources on a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of architectures exist for allowing host computers to share hard disk drives and other storage resources on a computer network. One common type of architecture involves the use of a central file manager. One problem with this architecture is that the failure of the central file manager can render the entire system inoperable. Another problem is that many software applications are not designed to use a central file manager.
Some storage architectures overcome these deficiencies by allowing the host computers to access the storage resources directly over the network, without the use of a central file manager. Typically, these architectures allow the host to access the storage resources over a network connection at the block level (as opposed to the file level). One problem with this type of architecture is that the failure of an input/output request can cause other pending requests from the same host to be delayed. Another problem is that the architecture is highly vulnerable to network failures. The present invention addresses these and other problems.